GS Paper - 2

8th Session of the International Solar Alliance(ISA)

30-10-2025

Source: PIB

Why in News? 

President Droupadi Murmu addressed the 8th Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly in New Delhi, urging the Global South to lead an inclusive solar revolution and reaffirming India’s commitment to a solar-powered world.

What are the Key Highlights of the 8th Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly?

• SUNRISE Network: ISA launched the SUNRISE (Solar Upcycling Network for Recycling, Innovation & Stakeholder Engagement) initiative to promote a circular economy in the solar sector. 
  • It focuses on recycling, innovation, and creating green jobs through sustainable solar waste management.
• One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG): A dedicated OSOWOG programme was introduced to build regional solar interconnections across continents. 
  • The plan identifies key transmission links between Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, with feasibility studies to be conducted in the next 2–3 years.
• SIDS Solar Procurement Platform: Sixteen Small Island Developing States (SIDS) signed an MoU with ISA and the World Bank to collaborate on joint solar procurement, digital integration, and capacity building for stronger energy resilience.
• Global Capability Centre and ISA Academy: ISA announced the Global Capability Centre in India as a “Silicon Valley for Solar,” connecting global centres of excellence. 
  • The ISA Academy, an AI-based e-learning platform, will offer training and resources to strengthen global solar skills and knowledge.

ISA Reports on Global Solar Trends

• The Assembly launched Five ISA Reports: Ease of Doing Solar 2025, Solar PV Skills and Jobs in Africa, Solar Compass, Global Floating Solar Framework, and Global Solar Trends & Outlook 2025, highlighting key global solar trends.
• Ease of Doing Solar 2025: Global energy transition investments in 2024 reached USD 2,083 billion. ISA Member Countries contributed USD 861.2 billion, showing the Global South’s growing leadership.
  • Solar power drew USD 521 billion, making it the leading force in renewable investments.
• Global Solar Trends & Outlook 2025: Confirms that solar is now the dominant force driving clean energy growth worldwide.
• Solar Compass: Integrated PV Applications: Highlights opportunities in Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), as 70% of future buildings in developing countries are yet to be built.
  • ISA aims to lower BIPV costs to rooftop solar levels and promote solar-ready housing policies across the Global South.

What is the International Solar Alliance (ISA)?

• Origin and Membership: The ISA was launched in 2015 by India and France during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris.  It is the first international intergovernmental organisation headquartered in India.
  • It currently has 125 Member and Signatory Countries, working together to expand access to clean, affordable, and reliable solar energy worldwide.
• Core Mission: ISA aims to enhance global energy access and security by promoting solar power as a key driver of the world’s transition to a sustainable energy future.
• Strategic Pillars:
  • Catalytic Finance Hub: It aims to mobilise USD 1 trillion in investments by 2030.
  • Global Capability Centre & Digitisation: Promotes innovation, capacity building, and digital platforms across Member Countries.
  • Regional & Country-Level Engagement: Drives tailored interventions through partnerships and local cooperation.
  • Technology Roadmap & Policy: Supports deployment of emerging solar technologies through practical policies and knowledge resources.
• Significance: ISA seeks to transform lives by bringing clean, reliable, and affordable energy to communities, promoting sustainable growth and improving quality of life globally.

How is India Leading the Solar Energy Transition?

• Record Renewable Energy Achievements: As per IRENA Renewable Energy Statistics 2025, India ranks 4th globally in Renewable Energy Installed Capacity, 4th in Wind Power, and 3rd in Solar Power capacity.
  • Solar capacity has increased more than 39 times, from 2.82 GW in 2014 to 110.9 GW in 2025, including a record 23.83 GW added in 2024–25 alone.
  • India achieved 50% of its installed capacity from non-fossil sources five years ahead of its 2030 target, reflecting strong policy and institutional commitment.
• Manufacturing Boost (2014 to March 2025): Solar PV module capacity surged from 2.3 GW to 88 GW, a 38-fold increase. 
  • Solar PV cell capacity grew from 1.2 GW to 25 GW, a 21-fold increase.
• Flagship Initiatives:
  • National Solar Mission : Part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, it aims to establish India as a global leader in solar energy.
  • PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: Promotes rooftop solar adoption for households.
  • PM-KUSUM Scheme: Supports farmers in installing solar pumps and grid-connected systems.
  • Solar Parks Scheme: Enables large-scale solar project development across states.
  • Production Linked incentive (PLI) for Solar Manufacturing: Boosts domestic production of high-efficiency solar modules.
  • India’s initiatives like PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana  and PM-KUSUM are now being replicated across Africa and SIDS through ISA partnerships.
• Sustainable and People-Centric Approach: India’s renewable journey balances growth with ecological preservation, focusing on technology sharing and inclusive development. 
  • Progress is measured not just in megawatts, but in lives improved and communities empowered.

What are the Challenges and Opportunities for India’s Solar  Energy Development?

Conclusion

Guided by the founding vision of “One World, One Sun, One Grid,” India reaffirmed its commitment to ISA’s leadership in advancing global solar cooperation, sustainable innovation, and inclusive energy access.

PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)

30-10-2025

Source:PIB

Why in News?

The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission  ) was launched in October 2021 to address the gaps in India’s healthcare system exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to enhance preparedness for future health crises.

• The mission advances universal health coverage goals and aligns with SDG-3 targets.

What is PM-ABHIM?

• About: The PM-ABHIM is one of the largest nationwide health initiatives, aims to build a resilient, accessible, and self-reliant public health system capable of responding effectively to current and future health emergencies.
• Aim & Implementation:  It aims to bridge the service delivery gaps between urban and rural areas.
  • It operates under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) component, and focuses on strengthening health infrastructure at all levels- from primary and secondary to tertiary - during FY 2021–22 to FY 2025–26. 
• One Health Approach: It emphasises disease surveillance, research, and the adoption of the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health.
• Major Components of PM-ABHIM: 
  • Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs): upgrading Sub-Health and Primary Health Centres into rural (R-AAMs) and urban (U-AAMs) units for comprehensive care.
  • Block Public Health Units (BPHUs): strengthen local health administration and services.
  • Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHLs): district-level labs for advanced diagnostics and disease tracking.
  • Critical Care Hospital Blocks (CCBs): New tertiary-care units in high-population districts.
  • Health Surveillance & IT Systems:  real-time digital network connecting labs nationwide.
  • Health Research & Innovation, support for studies on infectious diseases and One Health initiatives.

• Significance:
  • Comprehensive Healthcare System Strengthening: By upgrading and establishing AAMs, IPHLs, and CCBs, the mission ensures that healthcare services are accessible to all, especially in underserved areas.
  • Expansion of Surveillance Systems: PM-ABHIM strengthens India’s disease surveillance network, providing real-time data integration from block, district, regional, and national levels.
  • Support for Universal Health Coverage (UHC): By building infrastructure and improving service delivery, PM-ABHIM aligns with India’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage and advancing the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3), ensuring access to quality healthcare for all citizens.
  • Decentralized Healthcare Delivery: PM-ABHIM emphasizes local healthcare delivery by upgrading Sub-Health Centres and establishing Urban Health and Wellness Centres (U-AAMs) in slum and underserved urban areas, improving access to primary care services.

What are India’s Various Health Care Initiatives?

• National Health Mission:
  • The National Health Mission aimed to create community-owned and decentralised healthcare systems to make services accessible, affordable, and equitable, particularly for vulnerable groups.
• National Health Policy (2017):
  • The National Health Policy (2017) laid the groundwork for transforming India’s healthcare delivery system. 
  • It emphasised the importance of community-based health systems, highlighting the role of trained first responders, local self-government institutions, and community organisations in improving healthcare access and disaster preparedness.
• Ayushman Bharat Scheme (2018):
  • Building on NHM’s success, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme (2018) marked a major leap in India’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). 
  • It integrates preventive, promotive, and curative health interventions through four major pillars:
    
    • Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB–PMJAY)
    • Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs)
    • Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
    • PM–Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM–ABHIM)

Conclusion

Four years after its launch, the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission has transformed India’s health landscape by investing in pandemic preparedness, infrastructure modernisation, and disease surveillance. PM-ABHIM serves as a cornerstone of the country’s efforts to build a safer, healthier, and more equitable future for all citizens.

Indi and Puliyankudi Limes

30-10-2025

Source: PIB

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first-ever air shipment of GI-tagged Indi Lime (Karnataka) and Puliyankudi Lime (Tamil Nadu) to the United Kingdom.

• This shipment marks a key step in APEDA’s push to boost global recognition of India’s GI-tagged produce, benefiting farmers and strengthening market linkages.

Indi Lime (Vijayapura)

• About: The Indi Lime is the 2nd lime variety after the Assam Lime to receive the prestigious GI recognition. It got the GI tag in 2023.
• Production Hub: Grown mainly in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district, it is prized for its quality, zesty aroma, high juice yield, and culinary and medicinal value, reflecting the region’s agricultural heritage.
  • Vijayapura district contributes nearly 58% of Karnataka’s total lime production. Karnataka itself ranks 4th among Indian states in lime cultivation.          

Puliyankudi Lime

• About: Puliyankudi Lime (from Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu), also called Kadayam variety, features thin peel, strong acidity, and high vitamin C content with about 55% juice yield.
• GI Tag: The Puliyankudi Lime received its GI tag in April 2025, recognizing its distinct nutritional and regional attributes.

World Food India 2025

30-09-2025

Source: PIB

Why in News?

World Food India 2025, India’s flagship food processing event, aims to position India as a ‘Global Food Hub’. The event concluded with the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, highlighting investments, innovations, and employment generation across multiple states.

What is the Landscape of the Food Processing Sector in India?

• Food Processing: It involves methods to transform raw agricultural, animal, or fish products into edible, commercially valuable finished or semi-finished products, altering their original physical properties.
• Levels of Processing:
  • Primary processing: Basic cleaning, grading, and packaging of agricultural products.
  • Secondary processing: Converting ingredients into edible products (e.g., milling wheat into flour).
  • Tertiary processing: Creating ready-to-eat foods (e.g., baking bread from flour).
• Growth of India’s Food Processing Industry:  India is largest producer of milk, onions and pulses, Second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, tea, fruits & vegetables and eggs. 
  • India’s agricultural and processed food exports reached USD 49.4 billion in 2024–25, with processed foods contributing 20.4% (up from 13.7% in 2014–15). The sector employs 2.23 million in registered units and 4.68 million in unregistered ones.
  • Registered food business operators rose from 25 lakh to 64 lakh, supported by 24 mega food parks. 
  • Operation Greens and 225 Research and Development projects added 20 patents and 52 commercialized technologies.
• India’s Initiatives:
  • Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) aims to boost Indian brands internationally.
  • Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Millet-based Products (PLISMBP)  encourages Ready-to-Eat (RTE) and Ready-to-Cook (RTC) millet products, promoting value addition and millet consumption.
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) creates modern infrastructure, efficient supply chains, and reduces post-harvest losses.
  • PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME)  supports micro food processing units with technical, financial, and business assistance.
  • Under the Make in India campaign, the government allows 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)  in food processing.
  • The Mega Food Park Scheme provides integrated infrastructure for food processing, offering up to Rs 50 crore per project.

What are the Opportunities and Challenges in the Food Processing Sector in India?

What Measures can Strengthen India’s Food Processing Sector?

• Cluster Development: Set up integrated food processing zones near farm hubs with shared infrastructure (cold storage, labs, effluent plants), ancillary industries (packaging, logistics), and seamless transport links to cut costs and boost rural–urban balance.
• Tech-Driven Supply Chain: Use blockchain for traceability, IoT for real-time monitoring, AI for demand forecasting, and drones/satellite imaging for crop assessment to cut wastage and improve efficiency.
• Financial Reforms: Create sector-specific credit schemes aligned with crop cycles, a credit guarantee fund for SMEs, and tax incentives to attract private equity and venture capital in food-tech.
• Quality Standards: Harmonize Indian norms with global benchmarks (Codex), introduce tiered certifications with market benefits, deploy mobile testing labs, and link quality-based pricing to National Agriculture Market (eNAM).
• Regulatory Simplification: Establish a single-window clearance and unified digital platform  to cut delays and reduce compliance costs.
• Export Ecosystem: Develop export-specific zones with plug-and-play facilities, country-focused strategies, and a real-time market intelligence system; fully utilize PLISFPI funds to attract global majors.
• R&D Boost: Set up Food Innovation Labs, give weighted tax breaks for R&D, and build a national database of traditional food processing techniques for scaling up.

Crowd Management in India

30-09-2025

Source: IE 

Why in News?

A campaign rally for a Tamil actor-turned-politician in Karur, Tamil Nadu turned tragic, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

What is a Stampede?

• About: A stampede is a sudden, uncontrolled rush of people or animals, usually triggered by panic, fear, or excitement, occurring in crowded areas and often causing chaos and casualties.
• Stampede Incidence: The NCRB report ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’ states that from 2000 to 2022, 3,074 lives were lost in stampedes, with nearly 4,000 stampede incidents recorded over the past three decades.
• Cause of Death: A major cause of stampede deaths is the “black hole effect.” In dense crowds, physical forces create unpredictable "force chains" between bodies, so if one person falls, it creates a void, causing others to lose balance and fall. 
  • This domino effect leads to a pile-up, where people suffer compressive asphyxia under the weight of others.
  • During a stampede, crushing pressure on the chest prevents proper lung movement, causing hypoxia (low oxygen) and hypercapnia (high carbon dioxide), both life-threatening.

What are the Key Causes and Impact of Stampedes in India?

What are the Key Recommendations of NDMA for Crowd Management?

• Pre-Event Planning: Crowd estimation and capacity planning, safe site selection and layout design, and clear route planning with unobstructed entry, exit, and movement paths are essential to prevent stampedes.
• Structural Safety: Install barriers and railings in zig-zag queues, provide for virtual queue and approximate waiting time, ensure safe entry and exit points with outward-opening wide exits, and maintain effective communication systems and mobile connectivity to manage crowds.
• On-Ground Management: Implement crowd control and segregation with barricades, manage traffic and parking safely, use real-time crowd monitoring with CCTV and analytics.
• Building Awareness: Promote public awareness of risks and safe behavior, conduct training and drills for all agencies, and provide clear detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for event management stakeholders.
• Emergency Response: Provide on-site medical aid, deploy Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) for emergencies, and establish a clear Incident Command System for swift decision-making.

How can Stampedes be Prevented in India?

• ICT Based Management: Use AI-powered density analytics with CCTV, drone-based aerial surveillance, and mobile network & Wi-Fi heat mapping to monitor crowd size, flow, and bottlenecks in real-time for pre-emptive intervention.
• Managing Human Behavior: Use visual and sound cues to calm crowds, train staff in crowd whispering to reduce tension, and provide safe spaces and pressure-release paths for emergencies.
• Build a Culture of Safety: Launch public safe crowding campaigns with influential figures, enforce mandatory organizer certification on crowd management, and use crowd-sourced monitoring via hashtags or apps to report overcrowding.
• Strengthen Accountability Framework: Enact a Crowd Safety Act defining organizer liability, require independent safety auditors for large events, and implement a national stampede database to learn from past incidents.

Conclusion

Stampedes in India are caused by a mix of triggers, systemic failures, behavioral factors, and poor infrastructure, resulting in high human, social, and economic costs. Effective prevention requires NDMA-compliant planning, crowd management, technology use, public awareness, and accountability frameworks to safeguard lives and ensure safer mass gatherings.

Provincial Citizenship

30-09-2025

Source: TH

Why in News? 

The term “provincial citizenship” is gaining traction in academic and policy debates, especially in light of domicile policies in States like Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and Assam.

Its ascendancy signals a shift toward more exclusionary, nativist politics that may contest the constitutional ideal of a singular, equal Indian citizenship.

What is Provincial Citizenship?

• About: Provincial Citizenship is an unofficial, politically constructed notion of belonging to a specific Indian state. It emerges from nativist politics, tied to the idea of being “native,” “indigenous,” “local,” or “son of the soil.”
  • It is not part of the Constitution, but is used in politics to give special rights to "locals". This challenges the constitutional guarantee of a singular Indian citizenship under Articles 5–11.
• Reasons Behind Rise in Provincial Citizenship Demand:
  • Economic Competition: Locals fear that migrants take away jobs and access to resources.  Provincial Citizenship  offers recognition to historically excluded communities and counters demographic pressure from large-scale migration.
  • Cultural Anxiety: Migration brings perceived threats to language, tradition, and cultural homogeneity.
    • Provincial Citizenship aims to safeguard the culture, and land of indigenous groups.
  • Political Vacuum: There is no central law to regulate State-level domicile rules or to ensure uniformity in domicile policies across States.
• Judicial and Policy Safeguards:
  • Supreme Court Interventions: 
    • In Sunanda Reddy v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1995), the court struck down 100% reservation for domiciles in postgraduate medical courses, emphasizing that reservations should not compromise merit and efficiency. 
    • In Dr. Pradeep Jain v. Union of India (1984), the SC ruled that reservations based on place of birth or residence are prima facie unconstitutional under Article 16(2).
  • States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) (1955): Noted that domicile exclusions erode national unity. 
    • The constitutional framework currently sees citizenship as singular and national, regulated by the Citizenship Act, with non‑discrimination and mobility guarantees in fundamental rights.

What are the Concerns Associated with Provincial Citizenship in India?

• Fragmentation of Citizenship: Undermines the idea of one equal Indian citizenship by creating layered identities.
• Constitutional Tensions: As noted by SRC, 1955, domicile-based rules restrict jobs, education, and welfare, conflicting with Articles 14 (equality), 15 (no discrimination), 16 (equal opportunity in public employment), and 19 (freedom of movement and residence).
• Exclusion of Migrants: Internal migrants struggle to access jobs, housing, education, and welfare in host States. 
• Rise of Nativist Politics: Encourages “sons of the soil” movements, outsider hostility, and regionalism.
• Judicial Burden: Courts face a flood of litigation over domicile and reservation policies, further burdening the already overburdened judiciary.
• Economic Slowdown: Restricting migrant labour reduces workforce mobility, affecting productivity and urban economies.

What Reforms are Needed to Balance State Autonomy with National Citizenship?

• Parliamentary Legislation on Domicile: SRC 1955 recommended that domicile rules should be replaced by appropriate Parliamentary legislation. This ensures States to not override fundamental rights or restrict core national citizenship entitlements.
• Strengthen Migrant Protections: Expand portability of welfare benefits beyond food (One Nation One Ration Card) to healthcare, education, housing, and employment.
  • Ensure internal migrants enjoy equal rights irrespective of their State of residence through initiatives like e-Shram portal which enables social security for unorganised workers.
• Balanced Federalism: Allow States limited scope for residence-based benefits and prevent States from denying core rights under Articles 14, 15, 16, and 19.
• Election Commission Oversight: Regulate “sons of the soil” electoral campaigns to prevent xenophobic politics. Integrate inclusive safeguards into party recognition and funding rules.
• Public Awareness & Inclusion: Launch campaigns highlighting migrants’ contribution to urban economies.Counter xenophobia and promote social integration.

Conclusion

Provincial citizenship may serve local insecurities but risks fragmenting India’s unity, equality, and fraternity. Guided by the Constitution and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), India must reaffirm the principle of one nation, one citizenship, protecting diversity while ensuring inclusivity for all citizens, regardless of where they come from.

SC Calls for Regulating Social Media

30-08-2025

Source: TH

Why in News?

The Supreme Court (SC), while hearing a case against comedians for derogatory remarks, observed that social media influencers commercialise free speech, cautioning that such content can harm the dignity of vulnerable groups and urging the government to frame effective guidelines to balance free speech with societal sensitivities.

What are the Key Regulations Governing Social Media Usage in India?

Key Legislations:

• Information Technology Act, 2000 is the principal legislation governing electronic communication and social media.
  • Section 79(1) provides “safe harbour” protection to intermediaries (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram) against liability for third-party content, provided they act as neutral platforms and do not control or modify content.
  • Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 allows the Government to block online content for protecting sovereignty, security, defense, foreign relations, public order, and preventing incitement to offences.
• Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 mandates social-media platforms to ensure user safety, removal of unlawful content, and awareness on issues such as privacy, copyright, defamation, and national security.
  • The 2023 Amendment to these rules obligated intermediaries to take down false or misleading content related to the Government of India. However, its enforcement has been stayed by the Supreme Court (SC), citing concerns of misuse.

Key Judicial Pronouncements:

• In Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015), SC struck down Section 66A  of the IT Act, 2000 for vagueness, reaffirming that criticism, satire, and dissent are protected under Article 19(1)(a), unless falling within reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2).
  • Section 66A criminalized sending offensive, false, or objectionable information via computers or electronic devices, prescribing up to 3 years’ imprisonment.
• In K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), SC recognised privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21. 
  • It shaped later data protection measures, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and influenced regulation of WhatsApp privacy policies and Aadhaar data norms.

Why is there a Need for Regulating Social Media?

• Protection of Vulnerable Groups Unregulated platforms enable derogatory content, cyberbullying, trolling, and exploitation, particularly of women, children, senior citizens, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
• Curbing Misinformation & Hate Speech: The rapid spread of fake news, deepfakes, hate campaigns, and extremist propaganda undermines social harmony, democratic discourse, and national security. 
  • Effective regulation can check disinformation ecosystems and maintain public order.
• Safeguarding Mental Health & Ethical Values: Features like endless scrolling, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), and curated identities drive addiction, anxiety, and depression among youth. 
  • Regulations can promote digital well-being, responsible design, and ethical communication standards.
• Ensuring Accountability of Influencers: With the rise of influencer marketing, users are misled into financial risks by undisclosed paid promotions and illegitimate products (e.g., betting apps). Regulation ensures transparency, disclosure norms, and consumer protection.
• Data Privacy & Security: Social media platforms collect vast user data, often without informed consent, leading to privacy violations, surveillance, and misuse for profit or political influence. Regulation is essential to uphold constitutional rights to privacy under Article 21.
• Balancing Free Speech with Responsibility: While Article 19(1)(a) protects free speech, it is subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2) (public order, morality, decency, security of the State). Regulation helps draw the line between legitimate free expression and harmful/derogatory content.

What are the Key Challenges in Regulating Social Media in India?

• Volume & Anonymity: The sheer volume of online content makes continuous monitoring difficult. Added to this, anonymity of users emboldens hate speech, misinformation, and harmful content, straining regulatory capacity.
• Transparency & Accountability Gaps: Social media platforms lack transparency in decision-making and accountability in content moderation policies. The absence of independent oversight raises concerns about opaque practices and arbitrariness.
• Defining Harmful Content: There is subjectivity in defining harmful content, as differing social, political, and cultural views complicate consensus. This ambiguity creates grey zones between legitimate expression and prohibited speech.
• Free Speech vs. Censorship: Any attempt to regulate risks being seen as censorship or a curtailment of free speech, especially when criteria are not clear, objective, and proportionate.
• Cross-Border Jurisdictional Issues: A large share of harmful content originates from outside India’s jurisdiction, making enforcement and regulation difficult under domestic law.
• Political Neutrality Concerns: Content moderation decisions are often accused of political bias, raising questions about platform neutrality and undermining trust in regulatory mechanisms.

What Measures Can be Taken to Improve the Credibility and Utility of Social Media in India?

• Robust Legal-Policy Framework: Update the IT Act, 2000 through the Digital India Act, ensuring platform accountability, data protection, and freedom of expression, backed by judicial oversight to avoid overreach.
• Algorithmic Transparency & Accountability: Mandate algorithm audits, transparency reports, and independent oversight bodies; encourage the use of AI-driven moderation tools to ensure neutrality and quick redressal.
• Technological & Institutional Capacity: Expand cyber forensic labs, enhance agency capacity, and integrate AI-enabled monitoring systems while safeguarding privacy and encryption standards.
• Digital Literacy & Ethical Usage:  Launch nationwide digital literacy campaigns against misinformation, deepfakes, and cyberbullying; promote responsible online behavior and ethical design practices prioritizing user well-being.
• Global & Multi-Stakeholder Cooperation: Strengthen international collaboration on cross-border regulation and involve civil society, academia, and industry to create an inclusive, future-ready digital ecosystem.

Conclusion

Regulating social media is essential to balance freedom of expression with the dignity and rights of vulnerable groups. A combination of robust legal frameworks, technological solutions, digital literacy, and ethical practices can ensure accountability, curb misinformation, and foster a safe, inclusive, and credible online ecosystem.

Civil Society Organizations in India

30-08-2025

Source:TH

Why in News? 

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have once again come into focus for its role in mobilising communities, protecting rights, and filling gaps in governance. Beyond the state and markets, it drives collective action, ensures citizen participation, and strengthens democracy in India.

What is a Civil Society Organization?

• About: CSO society refers to non-state, non-profit entities that unite people voluntarily to work collectively toward shared social, cultural, or ethical goals.

• Evolution of CSOs in India: 
  • Ancient–Medieval Roots: Civil society in India has deep roots in the ideas of dharma (duty), daan (giving), and karma, which encouraged service to others through religious and social movements.
  • Pre-Independence Era: Reformers challenged caste discrimination, untouchability, and other social evils, linking voluntary action to social reform.
    • Brahmo Samaj (1828) (promoted social and religious reform),  Theosophical Society (1879) (spread spiritual and educational reform), and Ramakrishna Mission (1897) (emphasized service to humanity).
    • Efforts were often unorganized and relief-based, but they laid a moral foundation for later mobilization.
    • Gandhi’s philosophy of self-reliance, upliftment of the poor, and constructive work inspired mass participation and voluntary service organizations.
  • Post-Independence: The new Indian state expanded welfare but recognized the supporting role of voluntary organizations.
    • First Five-Year Plan (1951–56) emphasized cooperation between government and NGOs.
    • Decentralization through the three-tier Panchayati Raj system gave space for cooperatives, farmer unions, and local associations to flourish.
    • During the 1965–67 droughts, many international NGOs entered India with foreign aid and later set up permanent offices, reshaping civil society funding.
  • Contemporary Era: Civil society shifted from welfare delivery to a rights- and empowerment-based approach seen in movements like Chipko (1973) and Narmada Bachao (1985). 
    • Civil society broadened its agenda to include rights to food, work (MGNREGA), education (RTE Act), health, and information (RTI Act).
    • CSOs recognized as development partners of the state.NGOs expanded into gender, caste, environment, and marginalized issues, becoming key watchdogs of democracy. 
    • India with around  3.3 million NGOs Today, India has around 1.5 million NGOs involving over 19 million volunteers and staff, though most remain small and volunteer-driven.

What is the Role of Civil Society in a  Democracy?

• Ensuring Accountability: CSOs act as a watchdog, scrutinizing state actions and checking political abuses and corruption.
  • The Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Rajasthan, was instrumental in the passage of the national Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2005.
  • CSOs play a crucial role in monitoring elections, detecting fraud, and affirming legitimacy.
• Empowering Citizens and Promoting Democratic Norms: Educates citizens about laws, rights, and governance, sustaining an informed citizenry.
  • Fosters tolerance, respect for dissent, and compromise, promoting democratic social norms.
  • Provides platforms for marginalized groups (women, poor, persons with disabilities) to participate in governance, as seen in the role of CSOs advocating for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
• Women Empowerment: Organizations like Jagori and Swayam have raised awareness about women’s rights and promoted political participation. 
  • The Institute of Social Sciences' "Women’s Political Empowerment Program" has trained over 15,000 women for leadership roles in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
  • PRIDE India has supported advocacy for women's rights through research and data collection. 
  • SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association) empowers women in the informal sector, helping them gain economic independence and social status.
• Leadership Development and Representation: Facilitates articulation and aggregation of diverse societal interests. 
  • CSOs act as a training ground for future political leaders, breaking traditional party monopolies.
  • CSOs act as a shock-absorbing institution by cross-cutting rigid political polarities. Helps maintain social cohesion in conflict-prone settings.
• Supporting Reforms and Public Service Delivery: Mobilizes public opinion for economic and political reforms.
  • CSOs fill gaps in essential services like healthcare, education, sanitation, and disaster relief (e.g., During the Covid-19 pandemic, Goonj launched the 'Rahat' initiative to support vulnerable communities).
• Global Governance: Civil society not only promotes national democracy but also influences global governance.
  • International norms on human rights, women’s rights, disability rights, and environmental concerns are leveraged to shape domestic policies.
    

What are the Challenges of Civil Society in a Democracy?

• Undermining Democratic Values: Not all CSOs pursue democratic purposes, some promote private interests, racism, nationalism, or fundamentalism, undermining democratic values.
• Funding Constraints CSOs face financial instability due to limited foreign funding (post-FCRA 2020 amendment) and inadequate domestic philanthropy.
  • State funding can corrupt CSOs, diverting focus from democratic objectives to short-term gains.
  • Additionally, many CSOs lack effective monitoring systems, making it difficult to assess their impact and attract funding.
• Inadequate Government Response: Government agencies may be ill-equipped to handle CSO inputs, resulting in friction, ineffective policymaking, and undermined democratic engagement.
• Inadequate Representation: Lack of equal access for marginalized groups in civil society can perpetuate structural inequalities and undermine democratic inclusivity.
• Cultural Insensitivity: Global civil society efforts may overlook local cultural contexts, especially in the Global South, leading to ineffective or irrelevant interventions.
• Internal Undemocracy: Many CSOs lack internal democracy, such as transparency or inclusive decision-making, contradicting the democratic principles they advocate.
• External Manipulation: Civil society organizations may be influenced or used by foreign powers to advance political or economic agendas, distorting their role in promoting democracy.
• Volunteer Retention: High volunteer turnover and inconsistent engagement make it difficult to sustain long-term projects and community relationships.

What Measures can be Adopted to Enhance the Role of CSO?

• Enhance Transparency and Accountability: Develop a national CSO database including financial reports, program outcomes, and impact assessments. Standardized reporting and voluntary third-party audits can build credibility.
• Support Evidence-Based Policymaking: Institutionalize CSO involvement in policy through representation on government committees, consultation forums, and the use of CSO data in decision-making.
• Diversify Funding Sources: Encourage domestic philanthropy, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships, and social impact investments to reduce dependency on foreign funds.
• Simplify Regulatory Framework: The government could simplify FCRA and streamline CSO registration and compliance through a single-window digital system,
• Boost Volunteerism: Launch national campaigns to promote volunteering, integrate community service into education, maintain volunteer databases, and use digital platforms to connect volunteers with CSOs.

Conclusion

Civil society remains the heartbeat of participatory democracy, bridging gaps between the state and citizens. Strengthening CSOs is not just about governance, it is about empowering society to shape its own future. A vibrant civil society is the true measure of a resilient democracy.

Samudrayaan Project

30-08-2025

Source: IE

Why in News? 

Two Indian aquanauts dived into the Atlantic Ocean aboard France’s submersible Nautile as part of preparations for the Samudrayaan Project.

What is the Samudrayaan Project?

• About: Samudrayaan is India’s first human deep-sea mission. It is a key component of the Deep Ocean Mission. 
  • The project aims to send three humans in a manned submersible (Matsya-6000) to a depth of 6,000 metres in the ocean by 2027.
  • It will strengthen India’s strategic position by joining the select group of countries (US, Russia, China, Japan, France) with manned deep-sea capability.
• Key Objectives: Develop technologies for deep-sea mining, submersibles, and ocean robotics. 

  • Conduct surveys for mineral deposits, especially polymetallic nodules (containing iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel, rare earths).

• Matsya-6000: It is India's first self-propelled manned submersible. It is made of titanium-alloy in a spherical shape and can carry three aquanauts for 12 hours, with the capability to sustain them for up to 96 hours in emergencies.

  • It is expected to withstand an external pressure up to 600bar under low temperature conditions of -3°C.
  • It is equipped with life-support, acoustic communication, Li-Po batteries, drop-weight escape, and bio-vests for crew health monitoring.

  • The development of MATSYA 6000 is a collaboration between the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO.

India Hosts 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave

30-07-2025

Source: PIB 

Why in News? 

India hosted the 2^nd BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Ports Conclave in Visakhapatnam, to strengthen maritime connectivity, and sustainable development in the region.

What are the Key Outcomes of 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave? 

• Push to Implement AMTC: Member countries were urged to ratify and implement the BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation (AMTC), signed during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit (2025, Bangkok). 
  • The AMTC aims to boost port-led growth, enhance maritime trade and tourism, and promote skill development across BIMSTEC nations. 
• Kaladan Corridor: The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) was recognized as a strategic corridor linking India’s Northeast with the Bay of Bengal, central to India’s Act East and Neighbourhood First policies. 
  • The KMTTP, jointly developed by India and Myanmar, enables efficient cargo movement from India’s eastern ports to the Northeast via Myanmar.  
    • It includes a waterway on Myanmar’s Kaladan River from Sittwe to Paletwa, and a road from Paletwa to Zorinpui on the India-Myanmar border in Mizoram. 
    • KMTTP helps bypass the narrow Siliguri Corridor (or “Chicken’s Neck”), reducing transport costs and time. 
• BIMSTEC Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre (Mumbai): It will be launched under the Indian Ocean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Maritime Transport (IOCE-SMarT), which will lead efforts in policy harmonisation, green transition, and digital innovation in the maritime sector. 
• Cruise Tourism Potential: Conclave emphasised eco-sensitive cruise routes, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) led cruise terminals to position the Bay of Bengal as a premier sustainable tourism corridor. 

What is BIMSTEC? 

• About: BIMSTEC is a regional organization established on 6th June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.  
• Purpose: Promote economic and technical cooperation among Bay of Bengal countries. 
• Evolution: Originally started as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation), the grouping became BIMST-EC after Myanmar joined in 1997. It was renamed BIMSTEC in 2004 following the inclusion of Nepal and Bhutan. 
  • At the 3rd BIMSTEC Summit in 2014, the BIMSTEC Secretariat was established in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 
• Sectors of Cooperation: Initially six (trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism, and fisheries). In 2008, it expanded to include agriculture, public health, counter-terrorism, environment, and climate change.  
  • To improve coordination, the sectors were reorganized in 2021, with each member state taking the lead in specific areas. 
  • India leads the Security pillar in BIMSTEC, covering counter-terrorism, transnational crime, disaster management, and energy. 

China’s Mega Dam on Brahmaputra

30-07-2025

Source: HT 

Why in News? 

China is building a 60,000 MW hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo River (known as the Brahmaputra in India and Jamuna in Bangladesh) in Tibet, near Gelling in Arunachal Pradesh.  

• Announced in 2021, the project involves 5 cascade dams and is expected to be completed by the 2030s.  
  • It will be 3 times more powerful than the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower station. 

What are the Key Concerns of India over China’s Mega-Dam on Brahmaputra? 

• Ecological and Seismic Risks: Situated in the seismically active Himalayan zone, where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet, the region is highly prone to earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods.  
  • The project threatens large-scale displacement, similar to the Three Gorges Dam, which displaced over 1.3 million people. 
  • The dam could act as a “water bomb” and China may weaponise the dam to exert geopolitical pressure on India, particularly after India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack. 
• Hydrological & Environmental Impact: The Brahmaputra is vital for agriculture, livelihoods, and biodiversity.  
  • Sudden water release or diversion could devastate ecosystems, particularly in tribal regions like the Siang belt, home to the Adi tribe. 
• Loss of Traditional Knowledge: Artificial flow regulation undermines indigenous flood management systems, increasing vulnerability to climate extremes and displacing centuries-old practices. 
• Legal & Diplomatic Gaps: China's unilateral actions disregard India’s riparian rights, as China is not a signatory to any international water-sharing treaty. 
• Threat to Regional Water & Food Security: The dam could impact irrigation, hydropower, and flood regulation in India’s northeastern states, threatening water, food, and energy security. 

What is India’s Response on China’s Construction of Dams on Brahmaputra? 

• Siang Upper Multipurpose Project: India plans a around 11.2 GW hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh as a strategic and water-security response. It will regulate floods from upstream Chinese dams.  
  • The project involves local tribal engagement, especially the Adi community. 
• Monitoring & River Contribution: Though India has only around 34% of the basin, it contributes over 80% of the Brahmaputra’s flow due to 2,371 mm rainfall and snowmelt, unlike Tibet’s 300 mm.  
  • Indian tributaries, especially in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, contribute 30% of water resources and 41% of hydropower potential, with Arunachal Pradesh playing a key role despite challenges. 
  • Proposed River Linking Projects: 
    • Manas–Sankosh–Teesta–Ganga Link: Aims to connect the Manas (a Brahmaputra tributary) to the Ganga via Sankosh and Teesta. 
    • Jogighopa–Teesta–Farakka Link: Proposes linking the Brahmaputra at Jogighopa Barrage to the Ganga at Farakka. 
• Diplomatic Dialogue & CBMs: India raised concerns with China regarding Chinese infrastructure and its impact on downstream flow.  
  • Bilateral talks held in Beijing (March 2025) addressed water-sharing and border disengagement. 
    • Confidence-Building Measures (CBM) include resumption of tourist visas and Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after 5 years. 

What Measures can India take to Address Risk from China’s Brahmaputra Dams? 

• Accelerate Strategic Water Infrastructure: India must fast-track projects like the Upper Siang Hydropower Project in Arunachal Pradesh, featuring a 300-metre-high dam capable of absorbing upstream flow variations.  
  • Parallelly, expanding storage capacity across the Brahmaputra basin will help mitigate risks of flooding and seasonal water stress arising from Chinese interventions. 
• Enhance Scientific & Institutional Preparedness: Conduct scientific assessment of the ecological and geopolitical risks posed by China’s dam-building spree. 
  • Strengthening institutional capabilities for real-time data modelling and predictive analytics, as highlighted by Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) will enable timely responses to potential water weaponisation. 
• Implement Interlinking & Channel Diversion Plans: India should operationalise National Water Development Agency (NWDA)’s interlinking plans, connecting Brahmaputra tributaries to the Ganga basin to redirect excess water to drought-prone regions.  
  • Additionally, inland channel systems can serve as buffers to manage monsoon overflow and reduce flood vulnerability. 
• Strengthen Diplomacy & Regional Cooperation: China has ceased sharing crucial hydrological data with India since 2022.  
  • The Brahmaputra MoU, in place since 2002, expired in June  2023, and the Sutlej River MoU, from 2005, expired in November  2020  and has not been renewed since. 
  • India should push for diplomatic channels with China to obtain detailed real-time hydrological and project data to assess downstream impact on a continuous basis. 
  • Also, developing regional coordination with Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar is vital for joint disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and collective transboundary water governance. 

India–South Africa Submarine Cooperation Agreements

30-06-2025

Source: IE 

India and South Africa signed two agreements on submarine cooperation during the 9th Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting held in Johannesburg. 

India-South Africa Joint Defence Committee (JDC) 

• These are bilateral institutional mechanisms established under the 2000 MoU on Defence Cooperation to strengthen defence ties.  
  • Relations are rooted in a shared anti-colonial struggle, with formal defence cooperation beginning in 1996 through an MoU on Defence Equipment. 
• Co-chaired by the Defence Secretaries of both countries, the JDC serves as a high-level platform to review ongoing collaboration and identify new areas of mutual interest, including defence policy, military training, defence production, and research.  
• It also oversees two sub-committees on defence cooperation and acquisitions, while facilitating structured dialogue, maritime security, and India's strategic outreach to Africa. 

South Africa 

• It is the southernmost country of Africa, bordering Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe (North), Mozambique, Eswatini (Northeast & East), and Lesotho (enclave). 
• It has 3 capitals: Pretoria (Executive), Cape Town (Legislative), Bloemfontein (Judicial). 
• South Africa shares maritime boundaries with the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. 
  • Major physical features include the Drakensberg Mountains, Limpopo and Orange rivers, and landforms like the Highveld (grassland plateau), Bushveld (tree-dotted plains), and the Great Escarpment (mountainous rim). 

India’s Initiatives to Support Africa 

• Infrastructure & Training Support: Set up Rural Technology Parks, Food Testing Labs, Vocational Training Centres; provided training in crop processing, composting, irrigation, and mechanisation. 
• Trilateral Cooperation: Partnered with FAO, USAID, and SITA (Supporting India’s Trade Preferences for Africa) to deploy agri-experts and support food security and irrigation planning in African nations. 
• 3A Framework: Promotes Affordable, Appropriate, Adaptable agricultural technologies tailored to Africa’s local conditions. 

Tech-Driven Multilingual Inclusion in India

29-10-2025

Source: PIB

Why in News? 

India is advancing toward digital multilingual inclusion by leveraging advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and machine learning.

• Platforms like Bhashini, BharatGen, and Adi-Vaani are being used to preserve, digitize, and promote the use of 22 Scheduled Languages and hundreds of tribal and regional dialects across India’s vast geography in governance, education, and communication.

How is India Integrating Technology with Language Preservation and Digital Inclusion?

• Bhashini: Implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM).
  • It provides real-time Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven translation, speech recognition, and language understanding services.
  • Supports 22 Scheduled Languages and several tribal languages, enabling multilingual access in governance, education, and digital communication.

• Sanchika: Managed by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL).
  • Sanchika serves as a digital archive of dictionaries, primers, storybooks, and audiovisual content in Indian languages.
• BharatGen: It is a multilingual AI model suite for Indian languages developed under MeitY.
  • Creates Text-to-Text (T2T) and Text-to-Speech (TTS) translation systems.
  • It uses datasets from the Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL) and Sanchika Digital Repository.
• Adi-Vaani: Launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). It is  India’s first AI-driven platform for tribal language translation and preservation.
  • It supports Santali, Bhili, Mundari, Gondi, and other tribal languages through Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Speech Recognition.
• GeMAI (Government e-Marketplace AI Assistant): Developed under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as part of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
  • Provides voice and text-based support in multiple Indian languages.
  • Assists small vendors and local entrepreneurs to navigate and transact in their native languages.
• Anuvadini: Created by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
  • Uses AI-based translation to convert engineering, law, and medical textbooks into Indian languages.
  • It supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 vision of learning in the mother tongue.
• e-KUMBH (Knowledge Unleashed in Multiple Bharatiya Languages): An AICTE-hosted digital platform offering free access to technical and higher education books in Indian languages.
• SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds): A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform of the Ministry of Education (MoE).
  • SWAYAM provides multilingual online courses to more than five crore learners across India. It strengthens linguistic inclusivity in digital higher education.

What are the National and Institutional Initiatives Supporting Language Preservation and Digital Inclusion?

• SPPEL (Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages): Launched in 2013 by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and implemented by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru.
  • Documents and digitally archives languages spoken by fewer than 10,000 people.
  • Creates text, audio, and video corpora to support AI and NLP-based research on endangered languages.
• TRI-ECE (Tribal Research, Information, Education, Communication and Events) Scheme: Implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).
  • Promotes AI-based translation tools for converting English and Hindi text and speech into tribal languages and vice versa.
  • Collaborates with Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) to ensure cultural sensitivity and community participation.
• NTM (National Translation Mission): A flagship program of the Ministry of Education (MoE).
  • NTM aims to translate knowledge and academic texts into Indian languages to democratize education and research.
• NMM (National Mission on Manuscripts): Run by the Ministry of Culture (MoC).
  • NMM works on preservation, digitization, and dissemination of ancient Indian manuscripts in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, and regional languages.

What is the Broader Impact of Technology-Led Multilingual Platforms?

• Governance and Public Service Delivery: Multilingual AI platforms like Bhashini and GeMAI enable citizens to access government services, information, and digital portals in their own languages.
  • This enhances transparency, participation, and trust in governance, especially for people in rural and non-Hindi-speaking regions.
• Education and Skill Development: Platforms such as e-KUMBH, Anuvadini, and SWAYAM democratize learning by providing textbooks, technical content, and online courses in regional languages.
  • This supports the NEP 2020 vision of learning in the mother tongue, improves comprehension, and helps bridge the digital education divide.
• Cultural and Linguistic Preservation: Initiatives like SPPEL, Sanchika, and Adi-Vaani digitally document endangered and tribal languages, keeping oral traditions, stories, and knowledge systems alive.
  • They ensure that linguistic heritage evolves with technology rather than disappearing in its shadow.
• Economic and Social Inclusion: Language-inclusive digital platforms help local entrepreneurs, farmers, and small businesses interact with government schemes, e-commerce, and financial services more easily.
  • This reduces information barriers and fosters equitable participation in the digital economy.
• Research and Innovation: The large multilingual datasets created through these initiatives strengthen India’s AI research ecosystem and encourage the development of indigenous language technologies.
  

Conclusion

India’s language preservation efforts are driven by cutting-edge technologies to keep its linguistic heritage vibrant and accessible. Platforms like Bhashini, and BharatGen safeguard cultural diversity while driving inclusive digital growth and global leadership in multilingual innovation.

22nd ASEAN-India Summit

29-10-2025

Source: IE

Why in News?

The  22nd ASEAN–India Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur, saw India declare 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation and marked a major step forward with the adoption of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026–2030) under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

What are the Key Highlights of the ASEAN-India Summit 2025?

• ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP): India reaffirmed its commitment to ASEAN Centrality, Unity, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
  • India welcomed Timor Leste (East Timor) for becoming the 11th Member of ASEAN, welcoming its participation as a full member for the first time.
• ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026–2030): Endorsement of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2026–2030) to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) announced in 2022.
  • 2025 announced as the ASEAN–India Year of Tourism.
  • The year 2026 was designated as the “ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation” to enhance collaboration in the Blue Economy.
• Cooperation in Capacity Building: Proposal to set up a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at  Nalanda University, enhancing academic and cultural exchange.
  • India and ASEAN to deepen cooperation in education, energy, S&T, fintech,with focus on infrastructure, semiconductors, emerging tech, rare earths, and critical minerals.
• Cultural and Maritime Heritage: India to host the East Asia Summit Maritime Heritage Festival at Lothal, Gujarat, and a Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation to promote safe, sustainable maritime governance.

What are the Strategic Significance of India-ASEAN Relations?

• Economic and Trade Linkages: ASEAN, with a GDP of USD 3.2 trillion and a population of 650 million, is India’s 4th largest trading partner.
  • Bilateral trade reached USD 122.67 billion in 2023–24, reflecting strong economic interdependence.
  • ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA) is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2009 to boost trade ties.
• Strategic & Security Engagement: ASEAN provides a strategic counterbalance amid regional tensions, reinforcing India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision  while supporting ASEAN Centrality.  
  • India engages through East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN Maritime Forum, and joint exercises like the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (South China Sea, 2023).  
  • Cooperation spans anti-piracy measures, disaster management, and promoting a rules-based regional order aligned with India’s SAGAR doctrine.
• Defence and Security Cooperation: The BrahMos missile deal with the Philippines and regular maritime exercises demonstrate growing trust and collaboration.
• Connectivity and Technology Integration: Key projects like the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway enhance regional connectivity.
  • Cooperation in 5G, fintech, AI, and clean energy strengthens digital and technological partnerships.
• Cultural and People-to-People Ties: Tourism, academic exchanges, and diaspora networks foster deeper social and cultural connections.

Conclusion

The 22nd ASEAN-India Summit reaffirmed the deepening of strategic, economic, and maritime ties under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. With the declaration of 2026 as the Year of Maritime Cooperation and the adoption of the Plan of Action (2026–2030), India and ASEAN have outlined a clear roadmap for collaboration in connectivity, security, digital innovation, and sustainable development.

United Nations Convention against Cybercrime

29-10-2025

Source:IE

Why in News? 

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (UNCC), the world’s first global framework to tackle cybercrime, moved closer to becoming legally binding after 72 of 193 UN member states signed the treaty.

What is the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (UNCC)?

• About: The UNCC officially called the Convention on Cybercrime: Strengthening International Cooperation to Combat Crimes Committed Through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Systems, is the first international criminal justice treaty to have been negotiated in over 20 years.
  • The convention, developed by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was adopted by consensus under UN General Assembly Resolution 79/243 in December 2024.
• Key Provisions: UNCC provides legal measures to address crimes committed via ICT systems.
  • It facilitates cross-border sharing of electronic evidence in serious crimes crimes such as illegal data interception, hacking, money laundering, and online child sexual abuse material.
  • The convention promotes capacity building and technical assistance for developing nations.
  • UNCC also includes human rights protections while enabling digital law enforcement.
• Implementation Mechanism: UNCC establishes a Conference of the States Parties to monitor and review implementation.
  • UNODC serves as the secretariat for the Convention, providing technical support, training, and assistance for national implementation, along with guidance through its Global Programme on Cybercrime.
  • States that did not sign may later accede by depositing an instrument of accession.
• India and UNCC:  India has not signed the UNCC as of October 2025, despite being an active participant in its drafting.
  • Earlier India also declined to sign the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, consistent with its approach of wanting a greater role in shaping global digital frameworks.

What is Cybercrime and Cybersecurity?

Cybercrime

• About: It refers to criminal activities that use or target digital technologies, networks, or devices.
  • Perpetrators range from individual hackers to organized criminal networks, exploiting the anonymity and reach of the internet.
  • These crimes transcend borders and can affect national security, financial systems, and personal safety.
  • Developing countries are especially vulnerable due to weak cybersecurity infrastructure and low awareness.
  • Emerging technologies like AI, deepfakes, and generative tools have created new risks around misinformation, privacy, and copyright infringement.
• Categories:
  • Cyber-enabled Crimes: Traditional crimes conducted online, such as fraud, trafficking, hate speech, and incitement to violence.
  • Cyber-dependent Crimes: Crimes that can occur only through ICT systems, including phishing, identity theft, malware attacks, and ransomware.
• Cybercrime Threat in India: Cybercrime cases rose by 31.2% in 2023, reaching 86,420 cases, up from 65,893 in 2022 (National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023). Karnataka recorded the highest number of cases.
  • Major cybercrimes include Fraud, Extortion, and Sexual exploitation.
  • India also faces cross-border scams from Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
  • Between January and May 2025, Indians lost over Rs 4,800 crore to foreign-based cyber frauds.

Cybersecurity

• About: Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft. It acts as a digital fortress, defending individuals and organizations against online attacks.
  • It includes strategies, policies, and technologies aimed at identifying and assessing threats, preventing and detecting cyberattacks, and mitigating harm while ensuring quick recovery from incidents.
  • A strong cybersecurity framework helps maintain privacy, trust, and data integrity in an increasingly interconnected world.

What are the Challenges and Opportunities for India Under the UN Cybercrime Convention?

Challenges

• Privacy Concerns: The Convention’s surveillance provisions may conflict with India’s constitutional right to privacy as highlighted in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, 2017.
• Data Sovereignty Issues: India opposition to  data-sharing without prior written consent from the originating country may clash with the treaty’s cross-border data-sharing clauses.
• Strategic Caution: India’s hesitation to sign the treaty protects autonomy but risks limiting its influence in future digital rule-making.

Opportunities

• Stronger Global Cooperation: Enables India to work more closely with other countries on cybercrime investigations and evidence-sharing.
• Capacity Building Support: Offers access to UN-led training and technical aid to strengthen national cybercrime units.
• Policy Alignment: Could push India to update its National Cybersecurity Strategy and modernize data protection and cyber laws.

Conclusion

The UN Cybercrime Treaty marks a major step in global cybersecurity governance, aiming to ensure no country is left defenceless against cybercrime but it also raises critical questions about privacy, human rights, and digital sovereignty.
For India, the challenge lies in adopting a framework that strengthens cyber resilience without compromising individual freedoms.

Ladakh's Protest for Sixth Schedule Status

29-09-2025

Source:IE

Why in News? 

Ladakh has witnessed renewed protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status, highlighting discontent among its predominantly tribal population over the lack of constitutional safeguards since its reorganization as a Union Territory in 2019.

What is the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

• About: The Sixth Schedule, enshrined in Articles 244(2) and 275(1), is based on the Bardoloi Committee’s recommendations to safeguard tribal governance. 
• Provisions: It empowers Governors to establish Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) and Autonomous Regional Councils (ARCs), providing self-rule to tribal areas. 
  • ARCs allow the Governor to divide an autonomous district into separate regions if it has different Scheduled Tribes.
  • Each ADC usually has up to 30 members (26 elected, 4 nominated by the Governor) serving a five-year term (Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam is an exception, it has more  than 40 members). 
  • Currently, the Northeast has 10 ADCs across Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura. 
• Purpose: The Schedule was designed to protect tribal identity, culture, land, and governance systems in areas where tribal populations are significant, while still keeping them within the broader framework of the Indian Union.
• Powers of ADCs and ARCs:

  • Legislative Powers: Councils can make laws on subjects such as land, forests, agriculture, village administration, inheritance, marriage/divorce, social customs, and mining (with restrictions). All laws require the Governor’s assent.

  • Judicial Powers: Councils can establish courts to try cases involving Scheduled Tribes, except for serious crimes.

  • Executive Powers: Councils can set up and manage schools, markets, dispensaries, roads, water bodies, and local infrastructure.

  • Financial Powers: Can levy and collect taxes, tolls, and land revenue within their areas.

Why does Ladakh Demand Sixth Schedule Status?

• Loss of Representation: After Jammu and Kashmir’s 2019 reorganization, Ladakh became a Union Territory without a legislature, reducing local autonomy and representation. 
  • Previously, it had four assembly members and a more empowered LAHDC. Now, decision-making is largely bureaucratic, causing fears of outsider dominance, creating a sense of distance from governance.
• Land Protection and Tribal Identity Concerns: Changed domicile policy in J&K has sparked fears over land ownership, jobs, and demography in Ladakh. Communities fear dilution of their cultural and linguistic heritage.
  • The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in 2019 suggested including Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, since Over 97% of Ladakh’s population is tribal. Land ownership was already restricted to protect locals. The region’s unique culture and ecology require special safeguards.
• Limited Autonomy of Existing Councils: Ladakh has two Hill Councils (Leh and Kargil), but they are not under the Sixth Schedule and have very restricted powers, mostly related to local taxation and land allotment.
• Environmental Safeguards: Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem is under growing pressure from mass tourism (5.25 lakh tourists in 2023) and large-scale infrastructure projects such as the proposed mega solar park and geothermal energy zones. 
  • Incorporating the Sixth Schedule could empower local councils to enforce sustainable development and protect traditional land-use practices.
• Economic Concerns: Graduate unemployment rate ~26.5%, much higher than the national average. Lack of local job creation and a Public Service Commission fuels frustration.
  • Greater autonomy in development planning could align policies with local needs.

What are the Challenges in Granting Sixth Schedule Status to Ladakh?

• Constitutional Limits: Sixth Schedule was meant for northeastern tribal areas, so applying it to Ladakh would need a constitutional amendment.
• Security Concerns: Ladakh is a border region, and giving more autonomy could make coordination of security and administration harder.
• Administrative Issues: Experience from northeastern states shows Autonomous Councils often rely on state funds, leading to financial dependency and may face political interference, reducing their effectiveness.
  • Local councils may lack trained staff and governance experience to manage new powers.
• Balancing Development and Autonomy: Managing infrastructure, tourism, and projects while protecting tribal lands and the environment is tricky.
• Precedent Risks: Granting this status could encourage other tribal regions to demand similar powers, complicating national policy.

How can Ladakh Balance Autonomy While Preserving its Culture and Ensuring Security?

• Environmental Legislative Authority: Empower LAHDCs to legislate on renewable energy projects, water resources, and eco-sensitive tourism, ensuring development aligns with Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem.
• Ensuring Security and Strategic Oversight: Maintain central oversight on border management, defense, and strategic infrastructure, given Ladakh’s sensitive location.
  • Develop mechanisms for coordination between local councils and Union Territory administration for quick response during security contingencies.
• Cultural Territorial Zones: Establish ‘Cultural Heritage Zones’ where only locals can own property or operate businesses, safeguarding traditional communities and languages.
• Local Resource Sovereignty: Grant councils exclusive rights over high-value natural resources (salt, medicinal plants, sand, and minerals) with revenue used for local development and ecological conservation.
• Youth & Innovation Hubs: Set up local innovation centers focused on renewable energy, sustainable tourism, and handicrafts, giving youth employment while protecting culture.

Conclusion

• Ladakh’s demand for the Sixth Schedule highlights the need to balance autonomy, identity, and security. Granting more powers to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, while keeping central oversight on security, could be a practical middle path to rebuild trust and ensure development respects Ladakh’s unique culture and ecology.

UN Declares Famine in Gaza

29-08-2025

Source: TH

The United Nations has officially declared a famine in Gaza, marking the first famine in West Asia, with over half a million people facing extreme hunger due to conflict and restricted access to food.

• Famine: The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) defines Famine as a situation in which at least one in five households has an extreme lack of food and face starvation and destitution, resulting in extremely critical levels of acute malnutrition and death.
  • IPC Phase 5 is the highest phase of the IPC Acute Food Insecurity scale, and is attributed when an area has at least 20% of households, acute malnutrition in at least 30% of children under five, and mortality of at least two per 10,000 people daily.
• Cause: Sharp escalation of Israel-Hamas conflict, massive displacement, and severe restriction of humanitarian and commercial food supplies. 

Gaza Strip

• The Gaza Strip is a coastal territory in West Asia, approximately 41 km long and 10 km-wide territory, situated northeast of the Sinai Peninsula. 
• It borders Israel to the north and east, Egypt to the southwest, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.
• The Gaza Strip remains a strategically important and densely populated enclave, central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with ongoing humanitarian, political, and security challenges.

PM SVANidhi 2.0

29-08-2025

Source: PIB

The Union Cabinet has approved the restructuring and extension of the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme, until 31st March 2030 with an aim to benefit 1.15 crore street vendors, including 50 lakh new beneficiaries.

• PM SVANidhi Scheme:  Launched by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2020. It aims to support street vendors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic by providing working capital loans to restart their businesses and promoting financial inclusion and digital transactions.
  • PM SVANidhi offers interest subsidy on timely loan repayment, cashback for digital transactions, and eligibility for enhanced next tranche of loans.
  • 'SVANidhi se Samriddhi' component under PM SVANidhi provides social security benefits to street vendors.
  • As of July 2025, over 96 lakh loans worth Rs 13,797 crore were disbursed to 68 lakh street vendors. 
  • The scheme won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2023) for innovation and the Silver Award for Government Process Re-engineering (2022) for digital transformation.
• PM SVANidhi 2.0: Implementation of the scheme would be the joint responsibility of MoHUA and Department of Financial Services (DFS).
  • Enhanced loan amounts across first and second tranches, providing greater working capital.
  • Provides UPI-linked RuPay Credit Card for vendors who have repaid the second loan, ensuring quick access to credit for business or personal needs.
  • Expanded coverage beyond statutory towns to census towns and peri-urban areas in a graded manner.
  • ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ initiative will be strengthened further through monthly Lok Kalyan Melas to ensure beneficiaries access multiple government schemes.
  • The scheme focuses on building vendors’ capacity in entrepreneurship, digital skills, and food safety in partnership with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

Reclassification of CPSEs

28-10-2025

Source: ET

Why in News?

The Government is planning to revise the classification and performance assessment criteria for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) by introducing two new ‘Ratna’ categories in addition to the existing Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna statuses.

• The Department of Public Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises grants Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna status to CPSEs based on their financial performance. 

What are the Key Aspects of the CPSEs’ Reclassification?

• New Evaluation Parameters: New evaluation parameters under discussion include corporate governance, succession planning and leadership development, capital expenditure, dividend payout, sustainable business practices, and alignment with Vision 2047.
• Re-evaluation Committee: A 10-member committee led by Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan is conducting the re-evaluation, with its report due before the Union Budget 2026–27.
• Objective of Revision: It aims to modernize the public sector and align it with India’s national economic strategy by developing next-gen CPSEs capable of global competitiveness. 
  • It focuses on accountability, performance-driven governance, efficiency, and strategic resource alignment toward sectors vital for India’s future economic security.
• Current Ratna Categories: India currently has 14 Maharatna, 26 Navratna, and 74 Miniratna firms. The status enables financial and operational independence in capital spending, joint ventures, and investments.

What are CPSEs? 

• About: A Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) is a company, majority-owned and controlled by the Government of India, with at least 51% of its shares held by the Central Government, either directly or indirectly through other CPSEs. 
  • This definition also extends to include the subsidiary companies of such enterprises.
• Formation: It is an entity that was either incorporated under Indian company law (like the Companies Act, 2013) or established by a specific Act of Parliament. 
• Current Classification of CPSEs:

Internationalisation of Indian Higher Education

28-10-2025

Source: IE

Why in News?

17 foreign universities mainly from the UK and Australia, have received approval to set up campuses in India under UGC’s 2023 regulations. This move aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and comes amid growing demand for quality higher education in India.

How is India Advancing Global Partnership in Higher Education?

• NEP 2020 Vision: Guided by the principles of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability, NEP 2020 aims to establish India as a global education hub. 
  • It allows top 100 global universities to operate in India, fostering international collaboration, student and faculty mobility, and academic credit transfer to elevate the entire education ecosystem to global standards.
• UGC’s Regulations 2023: To operationalize the NEP 2020's vision, UGC’s (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023 was enacted, permitting top-ranked Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) to establish campuses in India. 
  • Eligible FHEIs must be ranked within the top 500 QS World University rankings. 
  • These institutions are mandated to maintain the same academic standards, curricula, and degree equivalence as their parent campuses abroad.
  • They are granted operational autonomy, including flexibility in faculty recruitment—both Indian and foreign—and are not bound by existing fee caps applicable to Indian universities.

What Factors are Driving Foreign Universities to Establish Campuses in India?

• Demand Surge for Quality Higher Education: With over half its population under 30 and a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) below 30%, India presents a vast untapped higher education market. 
  • Rising incomes, a growing middle class, English proficiency, and demand for global learning make it an attractive destination for foreign universities.
• Supportive Policy Environment: NEP 2020 promotes the internationalisation of education, inviting top global universities to India, while UGC’s 2023 regulations provide a supportive framework for establishing their campuses.
• Declining International Students: Recent data shows a sharp decline in Indian students abroad due to stricter immigration policies, including restrictions on foreign students bringing dependents and other measures to reduce immigration in the UK, US, and Canada.
• Diversification of Revenue: With stagnant domestic enrolments and declining public funding, universities in the UK, Australia, and Canada see India as a strategic market for revenue diversification and financial stability.
• Strategic Global Partnerships: Indian campuses strengthen institutional ties, promote research collaboration and student exchange, and build a talent pipeline for future postgraduate recruits and global alumni networks.
  • E.g., UK–India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) promotes bilateral student and faculty exchange.

What are the Implications of Internationalising India’s Higher Education?

• Global Competitiveness: Foreign universities introduce global curricula, teaching standards, and quality assurance, elevating India’s academic ecosystem while attracting innovation and research funding.
• Curbing Brain Drain: Highly skilled talented students may now stay in India, reducing the massive annual outflow of billions of dollars spent on studying abroad.
• Systemic Improvement: The presence of foreign universities will drive Indian institutions to innovate, enhance quality and competitiveness, while their governance models and industry-academia linkages can serve as a blueprint for systemic reform.
• Alignment with National Goals: Courses in high-demand fields like AI, Data Science, and Finance will build a skilled workforce aligned with Make in India and Digital India, while fostering a diverse and cosmopolitan academic environment.
• Affordable International Degrees: Earning a foreign degree in India is far more affordable than studying abroad — e.g., Southampton University’s 2026 fees for Undergraduate (UG) courses (Rs 13.86–23.10 lakh) are about half of UK on-campus costs.

What are the Key Challenges in Setting Up Foreign University Campuses in India, and How can They Be Addressed?

Conclusion

India's framework for foreign universities, driven by NEP 2020 and UGC 2023, aims to transform higher education by enhancing quality, curbing brain drain, and fostering global competitiveness. Success hinges on balancing foreign autonomy with national interest, ensuring affordability, and creating sustainable, mutually beneficial academic partnerships for long-term impact.

Women-Led Economic Growth for Viksit Bharat 2047

28-08-2025

Source:PIB

Why in News?

India’s growth story is shifting, with women driving economic rise through higher workforce participation, entrepreneurship, and access to finance. Empowering them is now central to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

How Women are Powering India’s Economic Transformation?

• Workforce Participation:  India’s female workforce participation rose from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24, while unemployment fell from 5.6% to 3.2%. 
  • Rural female employment grew by 96%, and urban by 43%, showing strong gains in opportunities for women.
  • Female graduate employability rose from 42% in 2013 to 47.53% in 2024, while women with postgraduate and above saw Worker Population Ratio (WPR) increase from 34.5% in 2017-18 to 40% in 2023-24.
  • In the past seven years, 1.56 crore women joined the formal workforce, while 16.69 crore women unorganized workers registered on e-Shram, gaining access to government welfare schemes.
• Women Development to Women – Led Development: Gender budgets rose 429% over a decade, from Rs 0.85 lakh crore (2013-14) to Rs 4.49 lakh crore (2025-26), signaling a shift to women-led development.
  • Programs like Startup India have boosted women’s entrepreneurship, with 50% of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) startups having at least one woman director. Around two crore women are now Lakhpati Didis, supported by initiatives like Namo Drone Didi.
  • Women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) nearly doubled from 1 crore (2010-11) to 1.92 crore (2023-24) and generating 89 lakh additional jobs for women (FY21–FY23).  
    • This marks a decisive move from development for women to development by women.
  • Financial inclusion schemes are pivotal, with women receiving 68% of MUDRA loans ( worth Rs 14.72 lakh crore) and accounting for 44% of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries among street vendors.

Why is Women-Led Development Significant?

• Women as Leaders: Shifts women from welfare recipients to agents of change.
• Gender Equality: Reduces stereotypes and generational inequality, which is crucial as India ranked 131st out of 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025.
• Economic Growth: Bridging the gender gap in employment could potentially lead to a 30% increase in India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Inclusive Development: Inclusion of women boosts productivity, innovation, and decision-making. 
  • Empowering women gives them autonomy, access to opportunities, and influence over personal, professional, and societal decisions, driving meaningful economic and social change.

What are the Challenges to Women-Led Development in India?

• Social and Safety Constraints: Deep-rooted patriarchy limits decision-making and increases unpaid domestic work. 
  • Early marriage, domestic responsibilities, and threats to personal security (as India records 51 cases of crime against women every hour). curtail mobility, career progression, and active participation in society.
• Education and Skill Gaps: Female literacy is 65.4% (2011 census), below the global average, restricting opportunities.
• Underrepresentation in Governance & Leadership: Women remain underrepresented in political, corporate, and institutional decision-making, reducing their influence on policies affecting them.
  • India's women's representation in the Parliament remains well below the global average of 25%.
• Digital and Technological Exclusion: Limited access to technology, internet, and digital literacy prevents women from participating fully in the modern economy.
• Workforce Participation Barriers: Women face unequal pay, glass ceiling effects, occupational segregation, safety at workplace and limited representation in formal and high-skilled sectors.

What Measures can India Adopt to Further Mainstream Women in Economic Growth?

• Childcare & Care Economy: Establish a National Crèche Grid, workplace crèches, professionalise care workers, and extend paid maternity leave to informal sectors to enable workforce retention.
• Infrastructure & Digital Inclusion: Mandate gender-responsive budgeting in sanitation, transport, water, housing. Embed Digital Saksharta and PMGDISHA into national infrastructure and rural internet projects to boost women’s digital empowerment.
• Representation & Governance: Enforce gender quotas in boards, panchayats, MSME councils; build capacity in gender budgeting; link incentives to women’s inclusion.
• Decentralised Gender Planning: Institutionalize Gender Action Plans at the Gram Panchayat, block, and district levels, incorporating input from Mahila Sabhas and SHG networks. Ensure these plans are co-created with women and integrated into annual development planning and financing.
• Workplace Safety and Empowering Women's Mobility: Create women-friendly infrastructure with accessible spaces and establish Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 to address harassment.
  • Foster a zero-tolerance culture and address cultural and structural violence through education, empowerment, and policy reforms for an equitable and safe environment.

Conclusion

Women are becoming the backbone of India’s economy, driving change from rural enterprises to corporate leadership, as Jawaharlal Nehru once said, “The status of a nation can be judged by the condition of its women,” India is progressing toward Viksit Bharat 2047, embodying Nari Shakti.

Outlook of Indian Economy

28-07-2025

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

The Reserve Bank of India's article titled “State of the Economy” offers a cautiously optimistic view of the Indian economy, amid global and trade-related uncertainties. 

What is India's Present State of the Economy?  

• Inflation: Retail inflation (measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)) fell from 5.4% in 2023–24 to 2.1% in June 2025, the lowest since January 2019. 
  • In June 2025, core inflation rose to 4.4% due to costlier personal care, education, and recreation, while overall inflation eased more sharply in rural (1.7%) than urban areas (2.6%). 
• Balance of Payments: India recorded a current account surplus of 1.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Q4 2024–25.  
  • India’s Current Account Deficit narrowed to 0.7% of GDP in FY24.  
• Fiscal Developments: Gross fiscal deficit (GFD) stood at 0.8% of its 2025-26 budget estimates, a significant improvement from 3.1% in 2024-25  
  • Till May 2025, the Centre received 21% of Budget Estimates (BE) 2025-26 of Total Receipts. Total expenditure stood at 14.7% of FY26 BE, with a notable focus on capital expenditure.  
• Trade Performance:  India’s overall trade deficit narrowed nearly 30% in May 2025, mainly due to falling oil prices and strong services exports.  
  • Compared to May 2024, total exports in May 2025 grew by 2.8% boosted by a 9.4% rise in services exports, while total imports fell by 1%. 
  • India’s export performance in FY 2024–25 was driven by strong growth in sectors like coffee, tobacco, electronic goods, rice, and drugs & pharmaceuticals.  
    • Other sectors such as ready-made garments (RMG) of textiles, plastic & linoleum, engineering goods, and fruits & vegetables also saw positive growth.  
  • The US, UK, Japan, UAE, and France emerged as top export destinations during the year.  
  • On the import front, major sources included UAE, China, Thailand, US, and Russia.  
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): FDI inflows up 14% in FY25 from FY24, and 125% higher than FY14. 
  • The services sector led with 19% of equity inflows, followed by software & hardware (16%) and trading (8%).  
  • Manufacturing FDI rose by 18% in FY25 compared to FY24, Maharashtra topped with 39% of inflows, while Singapore was the largest source (30%), followed by Mauritius and the US. 
• Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI): India witnessed positive net Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) inflows of USD 44.1 billion in FY24. 
• External Debt: India's external debt rose by 10% in 2025 compared to 2024, with the debt-to-GDP ratio rose slightly to 19.1% from 18.5% FY24. 
• Foreign Exchange Reserves: India's foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 696 billion as of July 2025, covering over 11 months of goods imports and 95% of external debt. 

What are the Factors Affecting the Indian Economy at Present? 

• Global Headwinds: 
  • Geopolitical and Trade Tensions: Ongoing Iran-Israel tensions and uncertainty around US tariff policies are keeping the global environment unstable.  
    • Global tariff rates may rise to levels last seen in the 1930s, which could raise India’s import costs and worsen inflation. 
  • Weak Global Confidence: Consumer and business sentiment remains subdued worldwide, slowing the pace of global recovery.  
    • This reduces demand for Indian exports, especially in sectors like manufacturing and IT services. 
  • Sticky Global Inflation: Inflation has increased in advanced economies and remains elevated in emerging markets like Brazil and Russia.  
    • This may lead to tighter global monetary policy, which can restrict foreign capital flows into India and increase borrowing costs. 
• Domestic Activity: 
  • Industrial Slowdown: Growth in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) fell to 1.2% in May 2025, the lowest since August 2024.  
    • This hampers job creation and weakens momentum in industrial and manufacturing sectors. 
  • Drop in Credit Growth: Bank credit to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and industry declined.  
    • NBFC loan disbursals dropped 13% year-on-year in the September 2024 quarter. Urban loan sanctions fell 23%, and long-term loans dropped by 50%.  
    • Loans against securities and education loans also saw sharp declines. This curbs business investment and slows economic expansion. 
  • Slower GST Revenue Growth: Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections grew by only about 6% in June 2025, the slowest pace in four years.  
    • This suggests weakening demand, a cautious business sentiment, and adds pressure on government finances. 
  • Labour Market Strain: While unemployment remained steady at 5.6% in June 2025, rural labour force participation declined due to the agricultural lean season and extreme heat.  
    • This signals stress in rural employment, which can hurt rural consumption and overall demand. 
  • State Finances: States face rising subsidy burdens from loan waivers and free services, which strain finances and divert funds from infrastructure.  

Way Forward 

• Fast-track Trade Deals: Expedite FTAs with key partners like the US  to cushion against tariff hikes and open new markets. 
  • Invest in export infrastructure, port efficiency, and quality certification to help Indian goods compete globally. 
• Boost Rural Demand and Job Creation: Expand rural employment programs during lean agricultural seasons and heatwaves. 
  • Shift focus from just transfers to rural skilling and non-farm livelihood support, especially for youth and women. Improve irrigation, cold storage, and market linkages to make farming more resilient. 
• Maintain Macro Stability While Supporting Growth: Control inflation through supply-side steps while sticking to the fiscal glide path.  
  • Keep policies stable and investor-friendly to ensure capital flows. Use forex reserves to support essential imports like energy and tech.

Conclusion 

India needs disciplined, steady, and state-led execution. Balancing welfare with investment, and exports with domestic demand, will be key to turning current challenges into a long-term growth opportunity. 

Promoting Foreign Universities in India

28-06-2025

Source: TH 

Why in News? 

The entry of foreign universities into India marks a significant shift in the country’s higher education landscape. Encouraged by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the UGC (FHEI) Regulations, 2023, this presents both opportunities and challenges for India’s education ecosystem. 

• While it offers opportunities for global integration and academic excellence, it also raises concerns about equity, access, affordability, inclusivity, and alignment with national priorities. 

What is Driving the Entry of Foreign Universities into India's Higher Education Sector? 

• India’s Demographic & Economic Potential: With over 50% of the population under the age of 30 and a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education just under 30%, India offers a vast untapped higher education market.  
  • Rising incomes, a growing middle class, English proficiency, and increasing aspirations for international education make India an attractive destination for foreign universities. 
• Global Push for Diversification: Universities in the UK, Australia, and Canada, where international students comprise approximately one third of total enrolments are facing stagnating domestic enrolments and declining public funding.  
  • Recent visa restrictions and enrolment caps in these countries have pushed institutions to explore new, high-potential markets like India to sustain growth. 
• Revenue Diversification & Global Footprint: Setting up campuses in India (e.g., GIFT City, Navi Mumbai) allows foreign universities to diversify revenue, reduce dependency on outbound mobility, and offer affordable international degrees while expanding global visibility. 
• Collaboration with Indian Institutions: India already hosts globally ranked institutions (e.g., IIT Bombay, IISc Bangalore, Delhi University).  
  • Foreign universities can partner with these colleges to open joint campuses, using existing infrastructure instead of building from scratch. This model ensures faster entry, lower investment, and strengthens academic collaboration. 
  • Eg: Deakin University (Australia) has partnered with IIM Bangalore prior to launching its campus in GIFT City. 

What are the Benefits for India from Foreign Universities Entering its Higher Education Sector? 

• Global Education Access: Foreign universities offer internationally benchmarked curricula, globally recognised degrees, and experienced faculty within India.  
  • This allows students to access high-quality education without the burden of high overseas costs, visa hurdles, and living expenses, thereby promoting affordability and educational inclusion. 
• Brain Drain and Forex Retention: India saw a rise in outbound students from 5.8 lakh in 2019 to 9 lakh in 2023, with over 75% intending to settle abroad.  
  • Domestic foreign campuses can provide similar academic value at home, thereby retaining talent and saving significant foreign exchange outflow. 
• Research and Academic Reforms: Collaboration with foreign universities can promote joint research centres, faculty exchanges, and governance reforms, enhancing academic standards, boosting research output, and strengthening innovation and excellence in Indian HEIs. 
• Industry Skills and Employability: Foreign universities offer industry-aligned programs with emphasis on practical learning, internships, and entrepreneurship, helping bridge the skill gap and enhancing the employability of Indian graduates in both domestic and global markets. 
• Mutual Facilitation & Strategic Diplomacy: India can negotiate reciprocal facilitation, offering land, regulatory support, and infrastructure assistance, in return for helping Indian institutions establish campuses abroad, particularly in Gulf nations and Europe.  
  • This would enhance educational diplomacy, promote internationalisation of Indian higher education, and strengthen soft power. 
• Positioning India as a Global Education Hub: With 52% of the population under 30, a tech-savvy, English-speaking youth, and strategic location, India is well-positioned to become an international education hub.  
  • Hosting foreign campuses promotes cross-border education, attracts students from South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, enhances India’s global academic presence, and fosters healthy competition for top HEIs like AIIMS, IIMs, and IITs, paving the way for India’s own Ivy League. 

What are the Key Challenges Related to Foreign Universities Campuses in India? 

• Affordability and Equity: Foreign branch campuses may charge high tuition fees, making them accessible mainly to the wealthy elite.  
  • This risks widening socio-economic inequality in higher education, potentially excluding talented students from economically weaker sections, and undermines the NEP 2020 goal of inclusive access to quality education. 
• Limited Short-Term Systemic Impact: Though foreign universities are a major reform step, only a few campuses with limited students will open in the near term.  
  • So, their effect on improving Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and overall education system will be small and gradual. 
• Commercialisation & Sustainability Challenges: Foreign institutions may prioritise profit over academic integrity, leading to marketisation of education and potential quality dilution without strong regulation.  
  • Experiences from China, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf show that low enrolments, high costs, and local misalignment often led to campus closures. 
• Regulatory and Infrastructure Barriers:  Despite enabling frameworks like the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023, foreign universities may still face challenges related to land acquisition, taxation, labour laws, and infrastructure readiness in general areas.  
  • However, in designated zones like GIFT City, which offer regulatory exemptions and a more conducive business environment, these barriers are significantly reduced. 
• Cultural and Academic Disconnect: Foreign universities may face challenges in adapting to India’s social, linguistic, and cultural context.  
  • Without effective local integration, through relevant curricula, Indian faculty, and collaboration with local institutions, they risk becoming elitist, isolated campuses, disconnected from India’s educational ecosystem and societal needs. 

What Should be the Strategy for Sustainable Collaboration with Foreign Universities in India? 

• Ensuring Inclusive Access: To align with NEP 2020, regulations must mandate scholarships and affirmative inclusion measures for students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.  
  • Financial aid, from either the government or institutions, is essential to promote wider access and uphold social justice in foreign campuses. 
• Flexible but Accountable Governance: A tiered and differentiated regulatory model should offer operational ease to top-ranked global institutions while ensuring strict oversight on academic quality, financial transparency, and ethical conduct.  
  • Foreign universities must remain accountable to Indian laws, student rights, and anti-exploitation norms. 
• Collaborative Research & Capacity Building: Foreign universities should engage in shared campuses, MoUs, joint research centres, and faculty development programs with Indian institutions. The UGC must promote such partnerships to enhance innovation, capacity building, and mutual learning. 
  • The government should encourage foreign–Indian college collaborations where Indian institutions provide infrastructure support and benefit from global visibility, while ensuring better Indianisation of foreign curricula. 
  • In the long term, India must build its own Ivy League–like institutions with a global presence, as seen in IIT campuses in the Gulf and Africa. 
• Local Relevance and Cultural Integration: Foreign universities should align with Indian educational values, linguistic diversity, and student needs by adapting curricula, avoiding replication of home models, and offering context-specific programs that support skill development and the knowledge economy. 

Conclusion 

The entry of foreign universities holds transformative potential for India’s higher education sector. However, their success will depend on adaptation to local contexts, affordable quality delivery, and collaboration with domestic institutions. With the right regulatory safeguards and visionary policies, this initiative can strengthen India’s position as a global knowledge hub. 

RGI Directives on Birth Certificates

28-06-2025

Source: TH 

The Registrar General of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) has directed all States to ensure birth certificates are issued within 7 days of registration, preferably before discharging newborns from hospitals, especially in government facilities, which account for over 50% of institutional births in India. 

• Birth registration:  Birth registration in India has increased from 86% (2014) to over 96% (2024). 
• Legal Framework for Birth Registration: It is governed by the Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969, with no fee if done within 21 days.  
  • Legal provisions now ensure registration of adopted, orphaned, abandoned, surrendered, and surrogate children, as well as those of single parents or unmarried mothers. 
  • The 2023 amendment made digital registration mandatory and recognized electronic documents as official. 
• Governance Implications: From 1st October 2023, digital birth certificates became the sole proof of date of birth for school admissions, government jobs, marriage registrations, and issuance of driving licenses and passports. 
  • The Central Civil Registration System (CRS) portal was developed to centralize registration data that will feed into the National Population Register (NPR), ration cards, property registrations, and electoral rolls, aiming to strengthen governance. 
• Global Commitments: It aligns with United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Decade (2014–2024) goal to “Get everyone in the picture” and supports SDG Target 16.9: “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration.”